Abstract

This case study focused on the Litton Leadership Scholars program, which is a year-long undergraduate agricultural leadership academy and asked the central question of what made the leadership academy experience impactful. Five themes emerged as central to the study: 1) Participants personally admired and felt connected with Jerry Litton and the Litton family, which provided a context for understanding leadership theory; 2) Participants described the sense of community in the academy as valuable, allowing them to express ideas more freely and enhanced the learning environment; 3) Structure of the program allowed for a multitude of networking opportunities, between students, faculty, mentors, and business professionals; 4) Participants noted the year-long length of the program was beneficial by allowing time for reflection on personal growth and permitted them a chance to apply their leadership skills while still in the learning environment; and 5) Participants did not apply to the program out of impulse, there was a specific reason they applied, which included being personally encouraged to apply or knowing of Jerry Litton. Recommendations for practice include providing a context for leadership education, developing a feeling of community, capitalizing upon networking, and providing time for reflection on personal growth and application of skills.